Ekurhuleni Metro has a population of 2

1.9 Approach to incorporating livelihoods and social capital

Poverty alleviation tends to be interpreted as labour intensive programmes, and programmes involving women. It was emphasised that local labour is used on all the development contracts in informal settlements. “Communities provide their own labour desk, contractors do the training” (Koetzee, pers.com). However, the real challenge of alleviating poverty, while present in policy statements, is not translated into informal settlement intervention. EMM recognises this as a challenge (Koetze, pers. com.).

One informal settlement in EMM is located in the north east (Bapsfontein), outside of the urban boundary, in close proximity to a labour intensive mushroom farm. It is very clear to the EMM officials that the choice of residence in this particular informal settlement is linked to the livelihood that the labour intensive farm provides. However, the urban boundary regulation will be enforced and the settlement relocated to an emergency housing area in the south.

One approach that EMM’s Housing Department has developed around livelihoods is to link low income housing with the good agricultural land in its proximity, which is undermined and therefore cannot be developed for housing. EMM’s Housing Department has proposed for such land to be bought and for communities to be trained in agriculture, as a form of livelihood. Such strategic interventions would also serve to protect the urban boundary. Discussions are underway with the Department of Land Affairs. This initiatives has led EMM’s Housing Department to consider livelihoods in relation to the broader planning framework (Koetzee, pers. com.)

1.10 Conclusion

1.10.1 Identifying good practice

Good practice according to the criteria identified in this study is limited by the adherence to subsidy requirements, although EMM should be applauded for its flexible treatment of these requirements in order to include non-qualifiers. Other form of exclusion however are created by the adherence to a minimum plot size of 180m2, and therefore the necessary dedensification and relocation of a significant percentage of households from the denser informal settlements.

A further limitation to inclusion may lie in the approach to evict new invaders of land, in the absence of reception areas or alternative housing being available. However, it needs to be recognised as good practice that EMM is looking ahead in terms of identifying and purchasing land in advance.

A further good practice lies in the attempts by EMM at developing livelihoods-based development approaches through undermined farmland.

1.10.2 Implications for national policy and frameworks

EMM welcomes the proposed informal settlement upgrading policy of national Department of Housing, particularly as it will enable greater flexibility in terms of what can be provided. EMM looks forward to being able to provide social services along with the land formalisation and service provision. However, it was pointed out that there is a social services backlog throughout low-income areas in the City. Therefore it may not be fair to limit the provision of social services to those settlements undergoing upgrading through the new programme. There will be an imbalance if older areas are not also provided with social services.

It appears that while EMM applies certain flexibility with regards to the subsidy regulations, it is used to working within this system. This has some implications for the implementation of the proposed informal settlement upgrading policy of the national Department of Housing. Firstly, EMM’s engagement with the concept of density is relatively conventional. The current minimum plot size of 180m2 permissible in EMM leads the officials to anticipate substantial dedensification, and the issue arising of non-availability of developabe land.

Secondly, EMM monitors and controls the subsidy expenditure to the cent, for each individual stand. A sophisticated computer system has been developed for this. Subsidy claims are linked to milestones, and proof is required for each stand. EMM is uncertain as to how this will be handled in an area-based subsidy approach.

It therefore appears that an adoption of informal settlement upgrading as intended in the proposed policy will require a substantial revision in the operational approach and the mindset of officials.

The separation of the land cost from the subsidy in the proposed informal settlement upgrading policy is welcomed by EMM, as the small amount available for the purchase of land has led to low income housing development exclusively located on the distant urban periphery in EMM.

A concern was raised about the reconciliation between waiting lists and upgrading of existing settlements. Should one continue to use the waiting list to “pull people out of informal settlements into greenfields when its their time to get a house” (Koetzee, pers.com). There may well be a need for national policy to give guidance to municipalities on how to align their waiting list approach with an informal settlement upgrading, particularly if upgrading is to be taken to scale.

EMM recognises that it would be beneficial to give direct support to community organisations in informal settlements, and a funding mechanism for this through the new informal settlement policy will be welcomed.

1.11 References and interviews:

Documents consulted:

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, 2003. Spatial Development Framework. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, February, Ekurhuleni.

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, 2004. Integrated Development Plan for Housing 2004-2009 review. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Ekurhuleni.

HPF, 2004. Homeless People’s Federation contribution to a workshop ‘Debating International Experience in Informal Settlement Policy – Relevance for South Africa’, NRF Project 4822, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Interviews:

Koetzee, Alida, 30.6.04, Director: Policy and Planning, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, interviewed by Marie Huchzermeyer, Ramabele Matlala, Shirley Manzini and John Nkuna.

Odendaal, Willem, 14.6.04. Chief Operations Officer, Department of Housing, Gauteng Province, interviewed my Marie Huchzermeyer.